Two Cottages To Be Homes For Children

AROUND THE COUNTY

June 05, 1992|The Morning Call

The Children's Home of Easton this week broke ground for two new 16-bedroom cottages designed to provide as much of a homelike atmosphere for the children as possible.

The cottages, one for girls and the other for boys 8 to 12, will be built on the campus to the east of the home's two existing residential cottages. They will each include sleeping quarters, living and sleeping areas for house parents, game room, living room, dining room, laundry room, kitchen and guest room, as well as bathrooms.

"We are building new cottages to help us rebuild lives," said Michael Danjczek, the home's executive director, noting that the long-awaited project will fulfill a dream of members of the staff and board of directors.

The original building on the campus is a large stone manor in which children originally lived in dormitory-like quarters. Over the last 25 years, the community provided the financial support to build three new living quarters -- the two cottages and the Acopian Emergency Placement Center, for local children in need of emergency care.

The new cottages are expected to be completed by winter and will fill the living needs of children who currently reside on the second floor of the nearly 100-year-old manor.

"We differ from many children's agencies in that we are truly a home to our children," said Danjczek. "We have purposely remained relatively small, with a homelike atmosphere and every staff person and every child knowing each other. Our cottages provide that homelike setting and have become the hallmark of our program and the state of the art of residential care.

"Now, all of our deserving children who suffered so much neglect and abuse before coming here will live in real homes," he continued. "That addition to our care will go a long way in the rebuilding of their lives and instilling in them a sense of self worth."

The home's board is currently in the initial stages of seeking donations for a $1 million capital campaign, which will help pay for the cottages and provide funds to renovate the threadbare manor, in which tutoring, dining, health care, family therapy, music, and arts and crafts are offered. The building also houses administrative offices.

"The board of directors is committed to making our dream of having every child live in a real home come true," said Anne Zansitis, board president.

The home, she said, is 90 percent funded by per diem payments made by the counties that place the children at the home and that money can not be used toward capital projects.

The home, founded in 1885, provides long-term care and therapeutic treatment for troubled youths, with 65 children currently in residence, and 75 in the home's foster care and group homes.

* Raising roof: Habitat for Humanity of the Lehigh Valley will be literally raising the roof on the first two homes of a four-family unit at 1612 to 1618 E. 6th St., Bethlehem, during the upcoming House Raising Week. The prospective homeowners will be there, ready and eager to start building their own home.

House Raising Week Worldwide will be held June 15 to 20. Former President Jimmy Carter and former first lady Rosalyn Carter will be spearheading a drive to build in Washington, D.C., and also to rehabilitate 10 homes in Baltimore, Md.

House Raising Week is an annual effort of Habitat for Humanity International, an ecumenical Christian housing ministry committed to eliminating poor housing. Habitat, through over 700 local affiliates, works to help people out of substandard housing and into decent shelter by joining with volunteers, churches and others to build affordable housing.

If interested in helping at the Bethlehem location, call Barbara Mowrer at 865-0399. To donate money or materials, call 867-9960.

* Strawberries: A Strawberry Festival will be held 4-8 p.m. June 13 at Palmer Moravian Church, John Street and Moravian Avenue, Palmer.

Features include strawberry shortcake and ice cream, a hot dinner menu, strawberry lemonade, children's games, crafts and entertainment by Music Street, a barber shop quartet.

Call 253-2510 for more information.

* Lunch today: "Corporate Catering -- Keeping Your Employees Happy, Healthy and Productive" is the topic of the Bethlehem Area Chamber of Commerce brown bag lunch set for noon today at the chamber building, 459 Old York Road, Bethlehem.

The brown bag series, sponsored by the Small Business Council, is held at noon the first Friday of each month.

* Club alumni meeting: The Fraternal Alumni Association of the Boys and Girls Club of Bethlehem will meet at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the South Side Building, 115 E. 4th St.

This will be a joint meeting with the Hall of Fame Committee, co-chaired by John Angelucci and Jim Borso.

Meetings will be held the second Monday of the month, beginning in September. For more information, call the Boys and Girls Club at 865-4241.